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Wednesday, 19 February 2014

Brazil rations water in 140 cities amid worst drought in decades

Water is being rationed to nearly 6 million people living in a total of 142 cities across 11 states in Brazil, the world's leading exporter of soybeans, coffee, orange juice, sugar and beef. Water supply companies told the Folha de S. Paulo newspaper that the country's reservoirs, rivers and streams are the driest they have been in 20 years. A record heat wave could raise energy prices and damage crops.

Aquaponics is an important water conserving way to grow food using 5% of the water compared to traditional agriculture.

Water markers indicating where water level used to be are seen at Jaguary dam, as the dam dries up over a long drought period in the state of Sao Paulo, in Braganca Paulista, 100km (62 miles) from Sao Paulo (Reuters / Nacho Doce)